Algernong Allen standing in the remains of the Elena’s Soul building. Photo by Danophonic Dan.

Editor’s note: Algernong sent us this letter in response to our request for comments on the future of Elena’s Soul. We’ve edited it to fit our format, but the words were not changed.

My thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies are with the employees, residents and owners, of business and property in the Cedar Park community detrimentally impacted by the fire at Elena’s Soul on Monday December 24^th at about 1 p.m. My greatest consolation is that there was no loss of life, or injury.

The initial determination of the City’s Fire Marshal and my independent fire inspector indicates the fire originated in the kitchen somewhere above the refrigerators, most likely in the ceiling. Due to the temperature of the blaze, hot enough to melt metal, and the total decimation, the exact cause is not determinable. There were no fire violations at Elena’s Soul, and all City required inspections and maintenance of cooking equipment, fire alarm system,  fire suppression, hood cleaning and fire extinguishers were current.  Foul play is not suspected or indicated by any reports at this time.

The Department of Licenses and Inspections declared Elena’s 3-story brick structure unsafe and scheduled demolition. The neighboring businesses, Gary’s Nails and the Cedar Park Café, had suffered limited physical and structural damages as a result of the conflagration. However, during demolition, the towering brick walls were felled into the neighboring businesses, causing severe and extensive damages. Gary’s Nails may have been structurally compromised and may face condemnation.

I am more sorry for the misfortune caused to the wonderful women, who operate Gary’s Nails and their employees, than words can express.

For our customers, our friends, who have become our ever growing and changing family … Thank you! I know many felt Elena’s Soul (and LeRoy’s) was as much their place as it was mine. Community was built there. No matter the difference of culture, hue, orientation or outlook, our common desire to share fellowship though food, music and drink contributed to understanding and acceptance of our differences.

I have great sadness that your special place is gone, and our special place is lost.

“I have great sadness that your special place is gone, and our special place is lost.” (Photo from Elena’s Soul Facebook page)

For this, not only do I feel your pain, but I share it, and understand it.

It is too early to say what the next step is from here. The process of recovery is extremely complex. The realities of liability, insurance, litigation and debt make simple answers to simple questions difficult.

In terms of fundraising, I understand that many wish to find ways to help.  I would respectfully ask those who wish to help, not to press the issue.  I appreciate the sentiment, but do not wish to be the object of charity.

I am thankful to be a part of your community. I am thankful for the outpouring of support and sympathy. We have all lost a special place. May we all hold on to our good memories.

Best Regards,

Algernong Allen III

UPDATE (Dec. 30): The Wine and Spirits store on the 4900 block of Baltimore Avenue has reopened.

Crews have demolished the building that housed the popular bar and restaurant Elena’s Soul, which was destroyed by fire Monday. The demolition caused severe damage to adjacent buildings, prompting the city to order that those buildings either be repaired or demolished themselves.

The City placed an “imminently dangerous” notice on Gary’s Nails today after the walls of the three-story building that housed Elena’s collapsed through the nail salon’s roof. A wall in Gary’s was also severely damaged during the demolition. The notice requires the building’s owner to repair or demolish the building in a timely manner.

A wall from the Elena’s building also crashed through the roof of the adjacent Cedar Park Cafe, prompting the City to also serve notice to the building’s owner that it needs to be repaired or demolished.

The fire and demolition has also impacted the Wine and Spirit Store next door to Gary’s. The store has been closed since demolition began and a sign posted in the window says that it will be “closed until further notice.” It remained closed Friday afternoon.

So far there has been no indication of where or whether Elena’s will rebuild. Elena’s Soul carried on a long tradition of bars in the building, which was reportedly built in 1908. Before Elena’s, the building was the home of Leroy’s Showcase Lounge. Elena’s catered to a relatively young, multiracial crowd.

“That place brought a lot of different kinds of people together,” said one man as he watched the demolition today. “Gonna be tough to replace that.”

A cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

The liquor store adjacent to Gary’s Nails will be closed until further notice.

We’re sad to report that this afternoon a fire destroyed Algernong Allen’s Elena’s Soul, a popular restaurant and bar on the 4900 block of Baltimore Avenue. Fortunately there were no injuries in the fire, which damaged all three floors of the building at 4912 Baltimore Avenue.

The fire, which started at about 1 p.m., reportedly caused some damage to the Cedar Park Cafe and Gary’s Nails, the two businesses on either side of Elena’s. The cause of the fire has not yet been reported.

We’ll report more details as we get them.

Neighbor Shenid Bhayroo sent the video below. It was shot at about 2:45 p.m. A reader named Ashley sent the photo. Thanks Shenid and Ashley.

Fire officials are still investigating the cause of an apartment building fire on Tuesday that killed a 4-year-old boy (a 5-year-old, according to some reports). The fire broke out at about 1:30 p.m. at the West Park Apartments, a 19-story public-housing building on Busti and Holden streets.

The child’s mother and 3-year-old brother were injured in the fire. The mother and a male resident of the building saved the younger child from the apartment engulfed with fire. Then the woman returned to the apartment and tried to rescue her older son but was badly hurt, Philly.com reports. The firefighters found the boy alive under a bed, but he later died in the hospital.

Fire officials said a burst main near 42nd and Market streets that required the evacuation of a fire station across the street from high-rise slowed response time.

Update (08/06): A three-story residential building at 4238 Chestnut Street was on fire, the Fire Commissioner’s Office confirms. The fire was reported about 4:10 p.m. on Sunday and extinguished by 4:50 p.m. No injuries were reported.

A reader, Mike, reported a fire on Sunday at about 4:00 p.m. on the 4200 Block of Chestnut Street. Mike said that over a dozen fire trucks responded to the fire: “I saw the fire and tried to break in before the fire Dept. arrived. Smoke detectors were sounding and large flames were pouring from the side windows at the rear. But I could not open the door pounding on it with a large piece of lumber (about a  4′ piece of 4×10″). Fire department was on scene within moments and took over.”

It’s not known if anybody was injured in the fire. Stop back for more information.

Photo by Mike Lynch.

Seventeen row homes were evacuated last night as a result of a three-alarm fire that started in a garage at 52nd and Pentridge, NBC reports (see video below). The fire began around 11 p.m. and quickly moved through.

Nearly 70 residents were displaced, 23 of them were transported to a Red Cross station set up at Ann H. Shaw Middle School on Warrington Avenue. No injuries were reported and no homes were seriously damaged.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Neighbors said that kids were setting off fireworks nearby before the fire broke out, according to NBC.